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Chamber prepares for fall festivities

The Ridgway Main Street Program, Ridgway-Elk County Chamber of Commerce and the Elk County Council on the Arts [ECCOTA] are teaming up once again to coordinate for this year's The Flavors of Fall festival and the Art on the Edge Trail event.Main Street Manager Michelle Bogacki is reaching out to food and craft vendors for this year's festival, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendors will receive a 10x10-foot spot on the courthouse lawn. Bogacki is also in search of musical acts to perform at the courthouse gazebo.To participate or for more detailed information on the festival, call 814-776-1424. "The Flavors of Fall is to encourage people to come visit-- and not just Ridgway, but our whole area," Bogacki said. "We do an outreach of at least a 50-mile radius to bring people here. We will already have a lot of guests visiting to see the elk and leaves in the fall, so it's something to do to entertain them while they are here and to encourage the overnight stay."The Ridgway-Elk County Chamber of Commerce will also be holding a scarecrow-decorating contest."We are going to ask all of the businesses to be decorated in time for this festival," said administrative assistant Mary Kucenski.Display your scarecrow at your business by Oct. 1. According to Kucenski, scarecrows can be made using any type of material. Judging will take place during the festival from 1 to 2 p.m. Judging will be based on creativity, attention to detail and overall attractiveness. First-, second-, and third-place winners will get ribbons to display on their scarecrow. If you plan to participate, call Mary at 814-776-1424 or send an email to ridgwaychamber@ncentral.com.The 22nd annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest will also take place that weekend on Saturday, Oct. 15. To participate, drop pumpkins off on Friday, Oct. 14 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 300 Main St., Ridgway. Prizes will be awarded on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.Pumpkins must be picked up by 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15.ECCOTA will host an open house event to take place along the Art on the Edge Trail from Oct. 14-16. The trail was designed as a marketing initiative, connecting 27 different stops throughout Elk County and surrounding areas.This year's open house trail event will promote local artists, artisans and businesses while providing an opportunity for outside visitors to the region to experience the cultural and artistic flavors of Elk County."The trail will connect all of those different spots and give people a nice little avenue to visit different spots throughout the county," said Abbi Peters, ECCOTA executive director.On Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open houses will be held at each of the 27 participating trail stops. An open house mixer will be held at the ECCOTA gallery from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and a benefit concert will take place at the Grace Episcopal Church in Ridgway from 8-9 p.m.Open houses will continue on Sunday from 11-3 p.m.